De Lima to inspect NBP for illegal structures

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima is planning to inspect the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to verify reports about an alleged twostory house that was built by a convicted drug lord, as well as the reported swimming pool built by another drug inmate.

Although she had already received an initial report from the Bureau of Correction ( Bucor) debunking the reported two- story house that built and used by convicted drug lord Amin Imam Boratong in the NBP, De Lima said she still wanted to personally check that the structure in the compound really does not exist.

De Lima did not mention the specific date of her visit in the state prison but said that she “would do it soon.”

“I plan to check it for myself any day,” de Lima said, adding that the initial report from prison officials was that the said house was being used for prayer meetings and not by Boratong.

The DOJ chief said she would also inspect the swimming pool purportedly located at the back of the NBP compound that was allegedly constructed by another inmate identified as a certain “Sebastian.”

The other day, De Lima ordered Bucor Director Franklin Bucayu to investigate the reports and to submit to her office the results of the probe as soon as possible so her office can act accordingly.

She said she was still awaiting Bucayu’s report.

Boratong, who was convicted in 2009 for maintaining a shabu tiange in Pasig City, is currently serving the life imprisonment meted him by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court at the NBP’s maximum security compound.

But De Lima defended Bucayu saying the problem within the Bucor is more of a systemic one.